Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#360907
Azure - Celastrina ladon

Azure - Celastrina ladon
Necedah, Juneau County, Wisconsin, USA
May 10, 2008
Can anyone tell me which azure species this is?

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Celastrina COMPLEX
Regarding this site and taxonomic knowledge of this Genus, there is a lot of incomplete data, hence incomplete distr. maps, and the potential for erroneous id's (I make id. mistakes myself).

Here's a run down of the species with which I'm familiar and a relative distr. for each taxon.

1) Spring azure, "Celastrina ladon"
Most of the continental US (?)
This species still seems to have the widest distribution and remains the likely suspect for the butterfly above/in question.

2) Northern azure, "C. lucia"
Northern rockies & Pacific nw.

3) Summer azure, "C. neglecta"
eastern half of the US (most abundant in the mid-Atlantic thru Southeast)

4) Echo azure, "C. echo"
N. Rockies & Pacific/west coast

5) Mexican azure, "C. gozora"
s. Texas & ne Mex.

6) Dusky azure, "C. nigra"
Appalachia & scattered across the mid-Miss. River basin

7) Appalachian azure, "C. neglecta-major"
Appalachia west to Miss. R. basin

8) Hops azure, "C. humulus"
Rockies

9) American Holly azure, "C. idella"
Atlantic coast (NE - south thru coastal Georgia)

10) Cherry Gall azure, "C. serotina"
uplands of Penn. across the southern banks of the Great Lakes to Michigan

Hope that helps.

 
Azure ranges
I want to thank everyone for the ID help with this azure. I greatly appreciate all the information provided. In particular, Bill, I want to thank you for the range information, which will help not only with this azure, but with all the rest I've photographed.

I thought the species C. lado
I thought the species C. ladon was only the azure found in the Appalachians and Ozarks, or am I misunderstanding the explanation on this web site about Celastrina butterflies. I had initially labeled this individual as C. ladon based on Kaufman's guide. But the information on this site seems to indicate that the Celastrina butterflies have been split into eight species and that C. ladon is not a possibility in central Wisconsin where this individual was photographed.

 
Celastrina "ladon" complex
There has been a lot of splitting in recent years and I'm sure there's still more to be done ;)

Spring azure, "Celastrina ladon"
This species still seems to have the widest distribution and remains the likely suspect for your area.

Consider the fact there are "thus far" at least 9 other described species in this Genus across the US.

Hope that helps.

Looks like a Spring Azure, Ce
Looks like a Spring Azure, Celastrina ladon - form marginata.

 
I agree...Spring Azure, Celastrina ladon
However, whether it is a marginata is beyond me.

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.